EP0956556A1

EP0956556A1 - Randomly laser-textured magnetic recording media

Info

Publication number: EP0956556A1
Application number: EP98960707A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hain-Ling Liu; Kannimangalam V. Viswanathan; Patrick L. Hearn
Original assignee: Quantum Corp
Current assignee: Maxtor Corp
Priority date: 1997-12-03
Filing date: 1998-12-03
Publication date: 1999-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-03
Also published as: JP2001510623A; WO1999028905A1; DE69833567T2; US6108169A; EP0956556B1; DE69833567D1

Abstract

A device and method for storing magnetically readable data are provided, the device including a disk having a substantially rigid, non-magnetizable substrate having a substantially planar surface and a magnetizable film having a substantially uniform thickness formed over the substantially planar surface. The disk has an outer surface having a nominal surface plane, and the outer surface includes a plurality of marks, each having a bump height above the nominal surface plane, a crater depth below the nominal surface plane, a mark radius, a bump radius of curvature, a crater radius of curvature and a separation from a consecutive mark, and at least one of the bump height, the crater depth, the mark radius, the bump radius of curvature, the crater radius of curvature and the separation is substantially randomly distributed according to any distribution of random variables such as, for example, a Gaussian normal, uniform, Poisson-like or Bernoulli-like binomial-like distribution.

Description

RANDOMLY LASER-TEXTURED MAGNETIC RECORDING MEDIA

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to minimizing the suspension resonance and air-

bearing resonance of data transducing heads, and to minimizing the head-to-disk contact

and wear, and, more particularly, to a device and apparatus for minimizing the suspension

resonance and air-bearing resonance of data transducing heads and for minimizing the

head-to-disk contact and wear during contact start-stop processes with laser-textured

magnetic recording media.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Magnetic disks and disk drives, with their associated data transducing heads, are

well known for their utility in storing data and information in magnetizable media.

Typically, for hard disk drives, one or more rigid disks, having magnetizable media

disposed thereon, are rotated at high speeds about their symmetry axes while data

transducing heads are positioned as close as possible to the reading and recording

surfaces, i.e., at minimized "flying heights." The data transducing heads, typically

deposited on the trailing edge of a slider, are maintained at controllable distances from the

reading and recording surfaces, during reading and recording operations, with the sliders

(and the data transducing heads deposited thereon) floating on "air-bearings" as the disks

rotate. The data transducing heads generally contact their associated reading and recording surfaces only when the disks are not rotating, during acceleration just after the

disks start to rotate and during deceleration just before the disks stop rotating. The need to

minimize flying height in order to increase data storage density is conditioned by the need

to avoid excessive static friction ("stiction") and dynamic friction during contact start-

stop processes such as the starting and stopping of disk rotation.

One traditional way of minimizing flying height is to make the reading and

recording surfaces, as well as the data transducing head surface, as smooth as possible.

However, such surface smoothness may lead to excessive stiction and friction during

contact start-stop processes.

In U.S. Patent Nos. 5,062,021 and 5,108,781 to Ranjan et al., the recording

surfaces of magnetic disks are described as being intentionally roughened to reduce

head/disk rest stiction. For example, laser-texturing has been used wherein the magnetic

disk is rotated at a controlled rate corresponding to the firing frequency of a pulsed laser,

forming a spiral of crater-like depressions and rims in the magnetic disk surface with

repeated turns of the spiral combining to form an annular band. Laser-texturing of the

surfaces of magnetic disks has provided a high degree of control previously unattainable

with grit cloth or paper texturing. The accuracy of the laser enables the precise delineation

of the laser-textured area boundaries. The laser power, pulse length and focusing have

been made variable to control the size and profile of the laser spots or marks. The pulse

frequency, in conjunction with the rotation or other relative translation of the magnetic

disk have also been controlled to determine the spacing among adjacent marks. A major disadvantage of conventional laser-texturing of magnetic disks is that the

laser-textured magnetic disks are typically patterned with a well-defined periodicity of

spot height, shape and separation. This well-defined periodicity in spot height, shape and

separation can easily resonate the suspension and air-bearing of the data transducing head.

These resonances, in turn, can greatly increase the head/disk contact forces, leading to a

deterioration in tribological performance.

The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of,

one or more of the problems set forth above.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for storing

magnetically readable data, the device including a disk having a substantially rigid, non-

magnetizable substrate having a substantially planar surface and a magnetizable film

having a substantially uniform thickness formed over the substantially planar surface. The

disk has an outer surface having a nominal surface plane, wherein the outer surface

includes a plurality of marks, each having a bump height above the nominal surface plane,

a crater depth below the nominal surface plane, a mark radius, a bump radius of curvature,

a crater radius of curvature and a separation from a consecutive mark, and at least one of

the bump height, the crater depth, the mark radius, the bump radius of curvature, the

crater radius of curvature and the separation is substantially randomly distributed. Alternatively, any one of the 15 pairs (such as the bump height and the crater depth), the

20 triplets (such as the bump height, the bump radius of curvature and the separation), the

15 quadruplets (such as the mark radius, the crater depth, the bump radius of curvature

and the separation), the 6 quintuplets (such as the bump height, the crater depth, the bump

radius of curvature, the crater radius of curvature and the separation) or the sextet (the

bump height, the crater depth, the mark radius, the bump radius of curvature, the crater

radius of curvature and the separation), formed from the bump height, the crater depth, the

mark radius, the bump radius of curvature, the crater radius of curvature and the

separation, may be substantially randomly distributed. The bump height and/or the crater

depth and/or the mark radius and/or the bump radius of curvature and/or the crater radius

of curvature and/or the separation may be randomly distributed according to any

distribution of random variables such as, for example, the Gaussian normal distribution,

the uniform distribution, a Poisson-like distribution or a Bernoulli-like binomial-like

distribution. In another aspect of the present invention, a disk drive assembly is provided

using such an apparatus for storing magnetically readable data.

In another aspect of the instant invention, a method is provided for manufacturing

magnetic media operated in conjunction with magnetic transducing heads for the

recording and reading of magnetic data, the method including forming a disk having a

substantially rigid, non-magnetizable substrate having a substantially planar surface and a

magnetizable film having a substantially uniform thickness formed over the substantially

planar surface. The disk has an outer surface having a nominal surface plane and the

method includes creating a plurality of marks at a plurality of locations on the outer surface, each of the plurality of marks having a bump height above the nominal surface

plane, a crater depth below the nominal surface plane, a mark radius, a bump radius of

curvature, a crater radius of curvature and a separation from a consecutive mark, wherein

at least one of the bump height, the crater depth, the mark radius, the bump radius of

curvature, the crater radius of curvature and the separation is substantially randomly

distributed. The power level of the pulsed laser, the angle of incidence of the pulsed laser

beam with the nominal surface plane of the outer surface of the disc, the duration of firing

of the pulsed laser, or the frequency of firing of the pulsed laser may be varied

substantially randomly, with or without rotating the disk at a substantially randomly

varying rotational speed. Alternatively, or additionally, the disk and/or the pulsed laser

may be linearly translated relative to each other at a substantially randomly varying linear

speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading

the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a rotatable rigid magnetic recording disk and a data

transducing head movable along the disc, the disk recording surface having a data

transducing head contact region formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present

invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the magnetic recording disk of

Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic view of an apparatus for controllably texturing the

magnetic recording disk of Figure 1 to provide the data transducing head contact region

formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a substantially enlarged perspective view of a laser mark formed in the

surface of a magnetic recording disc;

Figure 5 is a schematic view of a cross-sectional profile of the laser mark of

Figure 4 and of a neighboring laser mark;

Figure 6 is a schematic view of a cross-sectional profile illustrating an alternative

laser mark shape;

Figure 7 shows schematic views of cross-sectional profiles of laser marks formed

using the apparatus of Figure 3 illustrating a dependence of laser mark shape on peak

energy fired;

Figures 8A-D are graphs of distributions for dimensional aspects of the laser

marks formed using the apparatus of Figure 3; Figures 9A and B are graphs of acoustic emissions for conventionally laser-

textured and mechanically-textured magnetic recording media, respectively; and

Figures 10A and B are graphs of slider-disk interface (SDI) responses of a

conventionally laser-texturized magnetic disk and a randomly laser-texturized magnetic

disk in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms,

specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and

are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description

herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular

forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications,

equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined

by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of

clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It

will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment,

numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers'

specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints,

which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless

be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this

disclosure.

Turning now to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 and 2, showing a disk

drive assembly 105 and a data reading and recording medium including a rigid magnetic

disk 100 rotatable about a vertical spindle 115 of the disk drive assembly 105, the vertical

spindle 115 having a vertical axis through a central opening 110 in the disk 100, the

vertical axis being substantially perpendicular to a substantially planar and horizontal

upper surface 120 of the disk 100 and to a base plate 125 of the disk drive assembly 105.

A magnetic data transducing head 130 is supported by a head suspension 135 on a head

support arm 140 attached to a carriage assembly 145 mounted on the base plate 125 of the

disk drive assembly 105 for rotatably reciprocating the data head 130 along the disk 100,

as shown by the arcuate double arrow. The suspension 135 allows for gimbaling action of

the data head 130, limited vertical travel and limited rotation, about pitch and roll axes.

The central opening 110 accommodates the vertical spindle 115 of the disk drive

assembly 105 operable to rotate the disk 100. An inner annular sector 150 of the disk 100

is used for clamping the disk 100 to the vertical spindle 115 of the disk drive assembly

105. Adjacent the inner annular sector 150 is an annular head contact region or area or

band 160, and adjacent the head contact region 160 is an annular data storage region or

area or sector 170. While the disk 100 is at rest or is rotating at a speed substantially below the

normal operating range, the data head 130 is in contact with the upper surface 120.

However, when the disk 100 is rotating at speeds at least near the normal operating range,

an "air bearing" of air flowing between the data head 130 and the upper surface 120 in the

direction of the disk 100 rotation supports the data head 130 substantially parallel to, and

spaced apart from, the upper surface 120. The distance between a planar bottom surface

200 of the data head 130 and the upper surface 120 is generally known as the "flying

height" of the data head 130 and is currently typically about 50 nanometers (nm) or less.

Preferably, the flying height is low so that the data head 130 is as close as possible to the

upper surface 120 of the disk 100 in order to increase the density of data that may be

magnetically stored on the disk 100.

The head support arm 140 moves selectively to position the data head 130 over the

reading and recording surface of the disk 100. The position of the data head 130 is

controlled before, during and after data reading and recording operations. For example,

during such operations, data head 130, supported on the air bearing, may be positioned at

selected locations over the data storage region 170 to record or retrieve data at a specified

data address. In between such operations, the data head 130 may be positioned anywhere

over the data storage region 170. During deceleration of the disk 100, for example, when

the system using the disk 100 is shut down, the head support arm 140 may be positioned

inward to position the data head 130 over the head contact region 160 even before the

data head 130 contacts the upper surface 120 of the disk 100. When the system using the

disk 100 is turned on, as the disk 100 accelerates from rest, the data head 130 remains in contact with the head contact region 160 until the air bearing is established. Once the air

bearing is established, the head support arm 140 may then move the data head 130

outward over the data storage region 170 of the disk 100.

The upper surface 120 of the disk 100 has two regions, the head contact region

160 and the data storage region 170, that preferably have different surface textures. The

surface roughness of the head contact region 160 is much higher than the surface

roughness of the data storage region 170, measuring the surface roughness by the heights

of surface features above a nominal horizontal plane of the upper surface 120 of the disk

100. As shown in Figure 2, the disk 100 has a multiplicity of layers, including a substrate

layer 210, a texturized layer 220, an underlayer 230, a recording layer 240 and a

protective overlayer 250 over the recording layer 240. More particularly, a polished

aluminum (Al) substrate disk 210 has a nickel-phosphorus (Ni-P) alloy layer 220 plated

on an upper surface of the Al substrate disk 210 to a thickness in a range of about 8 μm to

about 12 μm. The Ni-P alloy layer 220 is initially untexturized by being polished or

ground or otherwise machined to have a surface roughness sufficient, for example, for the

data storage region 170 of the disk 100.

The Ni-P alloy layer 220 is then preferably texturized with an apparatus shown

schematically in Figure 3. A spindle 300 supports the disk 100, and a pulsed mode

neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser 310 is movably supported

above the disk 100 by a support structure (not shown). The laser 310 generates a pulsed

laser beam 320 focused selectively on the upper surface of the Ni-P alloy layer 220 and fires the pulsed laser beam 320 at a selected frequency and firing rate onto the disk 100

while the spindle 300 rotates disk 100 at a selected rotational speed. The laser 310 may be

oriented substantially vertically, as shown in Figure 3, or, alternatively, may be oriented

substantially at a selected angle θ with respect to the vertical direction, also as shown in

Figure 3. The laser 310 may be moved controllably and stepped radially of the disk 100

and the spindle 300. Of course, one of ordinary skill in the art of laser texturing will

recognize that other types of laser besides the Nd:YAG laser 310 as shown may also be

used, such as an argon (Ai) gas laser, a carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas laser or any other

equivalent laser that produces photons that may be absorbed by a layer such as the Ni-P

alloy layer 220 so that the layer may be suitably laser texturized.

The texturizing may be controlled both at the level of individual laser marks or

bumps and at the level of a pattern or arrangement of laser marks. The nature of the

individual laser marks is controlled through the controller 330, primarily by controlling

the intensity or peak energy at which the laser 310 is fired and the duration or pulse width

of each firing, and secondarily by controlling the way in which the pulsed laser beam 320

is focused and the selected angle θ of the pulsed laser beam 320 with respect to the

vertical. A small angle θ yields a substantially circular laser mark, as shown

schematically by laser mark 400 in Figure 4. A larger angle θ would yield a more

elliptical or oblong laser mark, as shown schematically by the cross-sectional profile of

laser mark 500 in Figure 5 and by the cross-sectional profile of laser mark 600 in Figure

6. The pattern or arrangement of the laser marks is also controlled through the controller

330 by controlling the frequency of the repeated firings of the laser 310, the rotational speed of the disk 100 about the spindle 300 and the amount of radial stepping by the laser

310. The controller 330 sends commands to, and may receive feedback from, laser 310

through the two-way link 340, while the controller 330 sends commands to, and may

receive feedback from, spindle 300 through the two-way link 350.

Once the Ni-P alloy layer 220 has been texturized, the remaining layers, the

underlayer 230, the recording layer 240 and the protective overlayer 250, as shown in

Figure 2, are applied, preferably by vacuum deposition, completing the disk 100. More

particularly, a layer of chrome with a thickness in a range of about 20 nm to about 40 nm

may be sputter deposited onto the upper surface of the texturized Ni-P alloy layer 220,

forming an underlayer 230 for the recording layer 240. The recording layer 240 may be

formed by sputtering a cobalt nickel alloy, a cobalt chromium alloy, or the like, to a

thickness in a range of about 15 nm to about 30 nm onto the recording underlayer 230.

The protective overlayer 250 may be formed by depositing carbon, for example, onto the

recording layer 240 to a thickness in a range of about 6 nm to about 12 nm. Optionally, an

additional layer of lubricant (not shown) may be deposited onto the protective overlayer

250 to a thickness in a range of about 1 nm to about 1.5 nm. A suitable lubricant may be,

for example, PFPE lubricant or Zdol. The layers above the texturized Ni-P alloy layer 220

tend to replicate the texturized contours of the texturized Ni-P alloy layer 220.

Alternatively, any of the other layers of the disc, the Al substrate layer 210, the chrome

recording underlayer 230, the recording layer 240, or the protective carbon overlayer 250

may be texturized by the pulsed laser 310 with the apparatus shown schematically in

Figure 3. As noted above, a typical laser mark 400 is shown in Figure 4, and shown

schematically in cross-sectional profile in Figure 5. The contour lines 410 show a crater

420 formed in the upper or outer surface 120 of the disk 100. The closer the contour lines

410 are, the steeper the slope of the corresponding topography of the surface, and the

farther apart the contour lines 410 are, the gentler the slope of the corresponding surface

topography. The bump or rim 430 of the laser mark 400 that surrounds the crater 420 is

shown as being substantially circular, with mark radius R_M, as shown in Figure 5. The

mark radius R_M may range from about 3 μm to about 50 μm, and may preferably be about

30 μm. The bump or rim 430 has a bump height H above the nominal surface plane 505

of the outer surface 120 of the disk 100. The bump height H may range from about 9 nm

to about 33 nm, and may preferably be about 24 nm. The crater 420 has a crater depth D

below the nominal surface plane 505 of the outer surface 120 of the disk 100. The crater

depth D may range from about 18 nm to about 66 nm, and may preferably be about 48

nm. The crater depth D of the crater 420 may also preferably be about twice the bump

height H of the bump or rim 430.

The bump or rim 430 of the laser mark 400 and the crater 420 both have shapes

that may be further characterized by respective radii of curvature, as shown in Figure 5.

The bump radius of curvature R_B may be defined as the radius of the bump circle of

curvature 510 tangent to the cross-sectional profile of the rim 430 at the top of the bump

on the concave side of the cross-sectional profile. The bump radius of curvature R_B may

range preferably from about 0J μm to about 100 μm. The crater radius of curvature R^ may be defined as the radius of the crater circle of curvature 515 tangent to the cross-

sectional profile of the crater 420 at the bottom of the crater 420 also on the concave side

of the cross-sectional profile. The crater radius of curvature R^ may range from about 0J

μm to about 1000 μm and may range preferably from about 1 μm to about 100 μm.

Also shown schematically in Figure 5 is the cross-sectional profile of another laser

mark 500 which has a more irregular cross-sectional profile and may be formed, for

example, when larger values of the angle θ are used for the laser beam 320. The rim of

the crater 525 has a lowest point 530, at a bump height h,,,,,, above the nominal surface

plane 505, and a highest point 535, at a bump height h_^ above the nominal surface plane

505. The crater 520 has a crater depth d below the nominal surface plane 505. An average

effective bump height h_ave for the laser mark 500 may be computed using h_mιπ and h^.

Similarly, an average effective mark radius r_Mave may be computed for the laser mark 500

using the values r_Mmm and ^,, for the closest distance of the rim of the laser mark 500 to

the central vertical axis 540 and the farthest distance of the rim of the laser mark 500 from

the central vertical axis 540, respectively.

An average effective bump radius of curvature r_Bave may be computed for the laser

mark 500 using the values r_Bmιn and r_Bmax for the minimum bump radius of curvature and

the maximum bump radius of curvature, respectively. Note that the representative bump

radius of curvature values r_B1 and r_B2 shown in Figure 5 may or may not coincide with the

values r_Bmιn and r_Bmax for the minimum and the maximum bump radii of curvature,

respectively, for the laser mark 500. Similarly, an average effective crater radius of curvature r_Cave may be computed for the laser mark 500 using the values r_Cmm and r_Cmax for

the minimum crater radius of curvature and the maximum crater radius of curvature,

respectively. Note that the representative crater radius of curvature values r_cl and r_C2

shown in Figure 5 may or may not coincide with the values r_Cmιn and r_Cmax for the

minimum and the maximum crater radii of curvature, respectively, for the laser mark 500.

The separation S between the laser mark 400 and the neighboring laser mark 500

is the distance between the central vertical axis 540 of the laser mark 500 and the central

vertical axis 550 of the laser mark 400. The separation S may range from about 1 μm to

about 200 μm and may range preferably from about 5 μm to about 100 μm. Preferably,

the separation may be the separation between consecutive laser marks. For example, if

laser mark 500 had been formed by the very next firing of laser 310 after laser mark 400

had been formed, then the separation S shown in Figure 5 would be the separation of laser

mark 400 from consecutive laser mark 500.

Figure 6 is a schematic view of a cross-sectional profile of a laser mark 600

illustrating an alternative laser mark shape. The laser mark 600 has a shape characterized

by a bump radius of curvature R_Ba]t and a crater radius of curvature R^, and may be

formed by varying the power output of the laser 310 shown in Figure 3 and/or by varying

the selected angle θ with respect to the vertical of the pulsed laser beam 320 shown in

Figure 3. Figure 7 shows schematic views of cross-sectional profiles of laser marks 700-770

formed using the apparatus of Figure 3 illustrating a dependence of laser mark shape on

the peak energy at which the laser 310 is fired. The abscissas and the horizontal axis

shown in Figure 7 are measured in micrometers (μm), as shown by the horizontal double

arrow (representing a length of 10 μm), and the ordinates and the vertical axis shown in

Figure 7 are measured in nanometers (nm), as shown by the vertical double arrow

(representing a length of 50 nm), exaggerating the heights of the bumps and the depths of

the craters of the laser marks 700-770. The peak energy of laser firing also increases from

the bottom to the top of Figure 7. For example, laser mark 700 may be formed when a

peak laser energy of 3.3 microJoules (μ J) is used, laser mark 710 may be formed when a

peak laser energy of 3.5 μJ is used, laser mark 720 may be formed when a peak laser

energy of 3.8 μJ is used, laser mark 730 may be formed when a peak laser energy of 4.0

μJ is used, laser mark 740 may be formed when a peak laser energy of 4.2 μJ is used,

laser mark 750 may be formed when a peak laser energy of 4.4 μJ is used, laser mark 760

may be formed when a peak laser energy of 4.5 μJ is used and laser mark 770 may be

formed when a peak laser energy of 4.6 μJ is used.

The shape of laser mark 700 may be characterized by a bump radius of curvature

R_B700 and a crater radius of curvature Rc₇oo, as shown in Figure 7. Similarly, the shape of

laser mark 710 may be characterized by a bump radius of curvature R_B710 and a crater

radius of curvature Rc₇₁₀, the shape of laser mark 720 may be characterized by a bump

radius of curvature R_B720 and a crater radius of curvature Rc₇₂₀, the shape of laser mark 730

may be characterized by a bump radius of curvature R_B730 and a crater radius of curvature Rc₇₃o, the shape of laser mark 740 may be characterized by a bump radius of curvature

R_B740 and a crater radius of curvature Rc₇₄₀, the shape of laser mark 750 may be

characterized by a bump radius of curvature R_B750 and a crater radius of curvature Rc₇₅₀,

the shape of laser mark 760 may be characterized by a bump radius of curvature R_B760 and

a crater radius of curvature R^o and the shape of laser mark 770 may be characterized by

a bump radius of curvature R_B770 and a crater radius of curvature Rc₇₇₀. As shown in

Figure 7, the bump radius of curvature may be characteristic of the highest of the bumps

associated with the respective laser mark and the crater radius of curvature may be

characteristic of the deepest of the craters associated with the respective laser mark.

The above-mentioned process parameters controlled by the controller 330, namely

of each firing, and the focusing and angling of the pulsed laser beam 320, may be varied

to influence the dimensions such as the bump height, crater depth, the mark radius, the

bump radius of curvature and the crater radius of curvature of the laser marks. The bump

height of the rim may be considered particularly critical, and varies with the peak power

of the laser 310 over a preferred range from about 0J kilowatts (kW) to about 5 kW,

depending, of course, on the particular laser employed and the particular surface being

textured. For a Nd: YAG laser 310 and the texturized Ni-P alloy layer 220, the range from

about 0J kilowatts (kW) to about 5 kW may prove advantageous. The separation between

the laser marks may also be controlled by the controller 330. For example, the disk 100

may be rotated about the spindle 300 at rotational speeds ranging from about 10 rpm to

about 100 rpm, and the firing frequency of the laser 310 may range from about 5 kilohertz (kH) to about 20 kH. The separation between the laser marks may also be controlled by

the controller 330 by varying the relative linear translational velocity of the laser 310 in

the radial direction of the disk 100. The disk 100 may be at rest relative to the laser 310

moving in the radial direction of the disk 100, or the laser may be at rest relative to the

disk 100 moving in the radial direction of the disk 100, or both the disk 100 and the laser

310 may be mutually in motion.

It has been found preferable to have the controller 330 provide random variations

of one or more of the process parameters, such as the peak power of the laser 310, the

duration or pulse width of each firing of the laser 310, and the focusing and angling of the

pulsed laser beam 320, resulting in random variations in one or more of the dimensions

such as the bump height, crater depth, the mark radius, the bump radius of curvature and

the crater radius of curvature of the laser marks. It has also been found preferable to have

the controller 330 provide random variations of one or more of the process parameters,

such as the rotational speed of the disk 100 about the spindle 300, the firing frequency of

the laser 310 and the relative linear translational velocity of the laser 310 in the radial

direction of the disk 100, resulting in random variations in the separation between the

laser marks.

The dimensions such as the bump height, the crater depth, the mark radius, the

bump radius of curvature and the crater radius of curvature of the laser marks, and the

separation between the laser marks, may be distributed according to any distribution of

random variables. For example, the dimension x of the laser marks may be distributed according to a Gaussian normal distribution, as shown in Figure 8A, with the probability

density function: , where μ is the mean and σ² is the variance of the distribution. Alternatively, the dimension x of the laser marks may

be distributed according to a uniform distribution, as shown in Figure 8B, with the

probability density function:

fυm_fom ^x>^{' a}>^b) = 77 T'^{fl ≤ x ≤ b}>fυ m(.^χ>^a>b) = ^(,, otherwise , where — - — is the

(b - a)

mean and is the variance of the distribution. The dimension x of the laser marks

12 may alternately be distributed according to a Poisson-like continuous distribution, as

shown in Figure 8C, with the probability density function:

λ^x fp_oιsson-i_ιke(^x _>λ) = exp(- l) , where λ is both the mean and the variance of the

T(x + 1)

distribution, and the gamma function F(z) = e^~'t^z~ dt generalizes the factorial (z-1)!

0

(for z > 1). The dimension x of the laser marks may also be alternately distributed

according to a Bernoulli-like binomial-like continuous distribution, as shown in Figure

8D, with the probability density function:

fBemo«il,-Lke (*5 P> ") = ^~ T(_fx + T i)~T(n - x + I lT) P" (^l ~ P) "^~ » ^here "P ^{is the mQ!m} ^ «P( 1 ~P)

is the variance of the distribution. These distributions are merely illustrative, and the

dimension x of the laser marks and/or the separation between the laser marks may be

distributed according to any distribution of random variables without being limited, of

course, to only the above-given illustrative distributions. Figure 9 A shows a graph of the root mean square (rms) acoustic emission (AE)

signature for a conventionally laser-textured magnetic disk, on start-up, showing the

presence of resonance believed to be caused by the well-defined periodicity of the bump

height, shape, or mark radius and separation of the laser marks produced by conventional

laser texturizing. Figure 9B shows a graph of the rms AE signature for a conventionally

mechanically-textured magnetic disk, on start-up, showing the absence of resonance,

believed to be due to the non-periodicity or substantial randomness of the heights, shapes

or sizes and separations of the surface features produced by mechanical or sputtering

texturing. It is believed that embodiments of the present invention, produced with at least

one of the dimensions such as the bump height, the crater depth, the mark radius, the

bump radius of curvature or the crater radius of curvature of the laser marks, and,

optionally, also the separation between the laser marks, distributed according to one or

more selected distributions of random variables, would have rms AE signatures

substantially similar to the graph shown in Figure 9B, due to the non-periodicity or

substantial randomness of the bump height, crater depth, shape (characterized by bump

radius of curvature and/or crater radius of curvature) or mark radius of the laser marks,

and, optionally, the separation between the laser marks produced by laser-texturing

magnetic recording media in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 10A is a graph of a typical slider-disk interface (SDI) response at 3600 rpm

in the head contact region (such as head contact region 160 shown in Figure 1) of a

traditionally laser-texturized magnetic disk, starting with a 30 nm flying height. More particularly, Figure 10A shows a typical SDI response of a traditionally laser-texturized

magnetic disk having laser marks with a uniform bump height of 24 nm, a surface sigma

of 4.5 nm (a measure of the substrate background noise, the variation of the surface of the

substrate from the nominal plane) and a uniform separation between laser marks of 54 μm

and a uniform bump radius of curvature of 28 μm. The top line tracing 1000A shows the

flying height at the center of the data head 130 (the distance Zcg) measured in nm, the

middle line tracing 1010A shows the difference between Zcg, measured over the data

storage area (such as the data storage area 170 shown in Figure 1), and the surface

features on the magnetic disk (this difference being the gap) measured in nm, and the

bottom line tracing 1020A shows the head/disk contact force (Fc-20) measured in

milliNewtons (mN) and shown displaced downwards by 20 mN (for the sake of

convenience in Figure 10A).

Figure 10B shows, by contrast, an SDI response of a randomly laser-texturized

magnetic disk in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the randomly

laser-texturized magnetic disk having the bump heights of the laser marks distributed

according to a uniform distribution, as shown in Figure 8B, with bump heights in the

range of about 9 nm to about 33 nm, a separation between laser marks in the range of

about 4 μm to about 86 μm and the bump radii of curvature of the laser marks in the

range of about 3 μm to about 46 μm. The top line tracing 1000B shows the flying height

at the center of the data head 130 (the distance Zcg) measured in nm, the middle line

tracing 1010B shows the difference between Zcg, measured over the data storage area

170, and the surface features on the magnetic disk (the gap) measured in nm, and the bottom line tracing 1020B shows the head/disk contact force (Fc-20) measured in

milliNewtons (mN) and shown displaced downwards by 20 mN (for the sake of

convenience in Figure 10B). As may be seen by comparing Figures 10A and 10B, the

onset of resonances between the data head 130 and the upper surface 120 of the disk 100

may be delayed, and the magnitudes of the resonances and the head/disk contact forces

may be less, when a randomly laser-texturized magnetic disk according to an embodiment

of the present invention is used, as shown in Figure 10B, than when the traditionally

laser-texturized magnetic disk is used, as shown in Figure 10A.

Claims

1. A device for storing magnetically readable data, the device comprising:

a disk including a substantially rigid, non-magnetizable substrate having a

substantially planar surface and a magnetizable film having a

substantially uniform thickness formed over said substantially

planar surface, said disk having an outer surface having a nominal

surface plane, wherein said outer surface includes a plurality of

marks, each having a bump height above said nominal surface

plane, a crater depth below said nominal surface, a mark radius, a

bump radius of curvature, a crater radius of curvature and a

separation from a consecutive mark, and wherein at least one of

said bump height, said crater depth, said mark radius, said bump

radius of curvature, said crater radius of curvature and said

separation is substantially randomly distributed.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said mark radius, said bump radius of curvature,

said crater radius of curvature, said crater depth and said bump height are each

substantially randomly distributed.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said bump height, said bump radius of curvature

and said separation are each substantially randomly distributed.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein only one a first pair of said bump height and said

separation, a second pair of said crater depth and said separation, a third pair of said mark

radius and said separation, a fourth pair of said bump radius of curvature and said

separation and a fifth pair of said crater radius of curvature and said separation are

substantially randomly distributed.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said bump height, said crater

depth, said mark radius, said bump radius of curvature, said crater radius of curvature and

said separation is substantially randomly distributed according to a Gaussian normal

distribution.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said bump height, said crater

depth, said mark radius, said bump radius of curvature and said crater radius of curvature

is substantially randomly distributed according to a uniform distribution.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said bump height, said crater

is substantially randomly distributed according to a Poisson-like distribution.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said bump height, said crater

is substantially randomly distributed according to a Bernoulli-like binomial-like

distribution.

9. The device of claim 3, wherein said bump height, said bump radius of curvature

and said separation are each substantially randomly distributed according to a uniform

distribution.

10. A method for manufacturing magnetic media operated in conjunction with

magnetic transducing heads for the recording and reading of magnetic data, the method

comprising:

forming a disk including a substantially rigid, non-magnetizable substrate

having a substantially planar surface and a magnetizable film

having a substantially uniform thickness formed over said

substantially planar surface, said disk having an outer surface

having a nominal surface plane; and

creating a plurality of marks at a plurality of locations on said outer

surface, each of said plurality of marks having a bump height above

said nominal surface plane, a crater depth below said nominal

surface plane, a mark radius, a bump radius of curvature, a crater

radius of curvature and a separation from a consecutive mark,

wherein at least one of said bump height, said crater depth, said

mark radius, said bump radius of curvature, said crater radius of

curvature and said separation is substantially randomly distributed.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said creating said plurality of marks includes concentrating pulsed laser energy selectively upon said plurality of

locations on said outer surface.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein a power level of said pulsed laser energy is

varied substantially randomly.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein an angle of incidence of said pulsed laser energy

with said nominal surface plane is varied substantially randomly.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein a duration of firing of said pulsed laser energy is

varied substantially randomly.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein a frequency of firing of said pulsed laser energy

is varied substantially randomly.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said concentrating pulsed laser energy includes

rotating said disk at a substantially randomly varying rotational speed.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein said concentrating pulsed laser energy includes

rotating said disk at a substantially randomly varying rotational speed.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said concentrating pulsed laser energy includes

rotating said disk at a substantially randomly varying rotational speed.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said concentrating pulsed laser energy includes

rotating said disk at a substantially randomly varying rotational speed.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said concentrating pulsed laser energy includes

rotating said disk at a substantially randomly varying rotational speed.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein said concentrating pulsed laser energy includes

exposing said outer surface to said pulsed laser energy while linearly translating said disk

relative to said pulsed laser energy at a substantially randomly varying linear speed.

22. A disk drive assembly comprising:

a base having a rotatable spindle mounted thereon;

a disk rotatably mounted on said rotatable spindle, said disk including a

substantially rigid, non-magnetizable substrate having a

substantially planar surface and a magnetizable film having a

substantially uniform thickness formed over said substantially

planar surface, said disk having an outer surface having a nominal

surface plane, wherein said outer surface includes a plurality of

marks, each having a bump height above said nominal surface

plane, a crater depth below said nominal surface, a mark radius, a

bump radius of curvature, a crater radius of curvature and a

separation from a consecutive mark, and wherein at least one of said bump height, said crater depth, said mark radius, said bump

radius of curvature, said crater radius of curvature and said

separation is substantially randomly distributed; and

an actuator arm rotatably mounted on said base, said actuator arm having a

magnetic data transducing head mounted thereon to read first

magnetically readable data from said disk and to store at least one

of said first magnetically readable data and second magnetically

readable data on said disk.